San Francisco could ban circumcision

San Francisco could become the only U.S. city where you can’t get either a Happy Meal or a bris.

Jac Wilder VerSteeg

City residents will vote in November on an ordinance that would ban circumcision of male children younger than 18. The measure’s proponents gathered 7,700 signatures to place it on the ballot.

San Francisco famously voted last year to ban restaurants from giving away toys with meals that don’t meet certain nutritional standards.

The ban on Happy Meals and the proposed ban on circumcision both supposedly are to protect children.

The Associated Press story on the referendum says:

“Even in a city with a long-held reputation for pushing boundaries, the measure is drawing heavy fire. Opponents are lining up against it, saying a ban on a religious rite considered sacred by Jews and Muslims is a blatant violation of constitutional rights.

“If the measure passes, circumcision would be prohibited among males under the age of 18. The practice would become a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to one year in jail. There would be no religious exemptions.

“The proposed ban appears to be the first in the country to make it this far, though a larger national debate over the health benefits of circumcision has been going on for many years. Banning circumcision would almost certainly prompt a flurry of legal challenges alleging violations of the First Amendment’s guarantee of the freedom to exercise one’s religious beliefs.

“Supporters of the ban say male circumcision is a form of genital mutilation that is unnecessary, extremely painful and even dangerous. …but opponents say such claims are alarmingly misleading, and call the proposal a clear violation of constitutionally protected religious freedoms.”

I personally don’t see how the ban on circumcision could be constitutional. And the ban on Happy Meals is ridiculous. If the circumcision ban passes, I assume you still can leave your heart in San Francisco, even if other parts must be retained.